Since 2003, Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) has worked to help service members who have been injured in combat to transition back to civilian life. As part of its outreach, WWP has relied on the voices and assistance of the following celebrity supporters and spokespeople.
Trace Adkins
Trace Adkins’ accolades as a musician speak for themselves: 11 million records sold, 2 billion streams, three Grammy nominations, multiple Academy of Country Music and Country Music Television awards. In the midst of his success, the country music star has found time to give back, particularly to veterans.
Adkins has worked directly with WWP, helping to raise funds for the charity and serving as its celebrity spokesperson. In recognition of the ways he has supported and provided entertainment to servicemembers, Adkins has been honored with the Bob Hope Award for Excellence in Entertainment.
Mario Lopez
Mario Lopez has spent much of his life in front of the camera. A child actor who starred in the TV show Saved by the Bell as a teen, he is the longtime host of Extra! and a fixture on reality TV.
Lopez has also lent his celebrity to WWP. In 2019, he hosted the organization’s Courage Awards and Benefit Dinner, a job he said he was “honored” to have. Along with assisting WWP in its mission of serving injured veterans, Lopez encourages young people to stay fit in his role as the alumni ambassador of fitness for Boys and Girls Clubs of America.
Gerald McRaney
Gerald McRaney rose to fame for his portrayals of military characters. The experience of playing Marine veteran Rick Simon on the CBS show Simon & Simon and Major John D. MacGillis on the CBS show Major Dad gave him an appreciation for those who have served their country.
In the ‘90s, he responded by visiting servicemembers in the Middle East and Somalia. In the 2000s, he advocated for the Department of Veterans Affairs. Today, he is an official spokesperson for WWP and has appeared in the charity’s commercials.
Mark Wahlberg
This Academy Award-nominated actor famously played Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell in the 2013 film Lone Survivor. The harrowing film tells the real-life story of Luttrell and members of his SEAL team as they embark on a dangerous mission in Afghanistan.
Following the production of Lone Survivor, Wahlberg visited troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. He has also advocated for the military through WWP. In 2019, he partnered with the organization on an event aimed at encouraging veterans to stay fit. In recognition of his support of wounded warriors, WWP presented him with the James Gandolfini Award.